A long list of key departures has contributed to the Cowboys rapid defensive descent
The Dallas Cowboys’ defense has undergone a staggering transformation in just a few short years. It wasn’t that long ago when the Cowboys boasted a top-five unit that specialized in takeaways and suffocating pressure, allowing only 18.5 points per game in 2023. Fast forward to now, and the unit has plummeted to the bottom of the league. Last year, they gave up a league-worst 511 points and third-worst 6,409 yards. The fall from a perennial top ten DVOA powerhouse to a group that looks like they are playing in slow motion is absolutely jarring.
The departure of Dan Quinn to Washington has been the greatest smoking gun as to why things have abruptly changed, but coaching only tells half the story. While Quinn’s aggressive nature and infectious energy turned around a broken unit, the sheer drain of talent has left the roster looking like a K-Mart department store. Some teams occasionally lose a superstar player, some suffer bad luck with a career-changing injury, or others just lose a few key contributors that turned out to be more costly than expected. In the case of the Cowboys defense, they’ve endured all of that, and to a great extent. And to make matters worse, the team’s response in filling those voids has consisted of underperforming draft picks, disappointing trades, and their go-to low-cost free agent signings.
To really wrap your mind around just how significant these changes have been, let’s run through what’s happened over the last few years. We’ll start slow, but brace yourself. By the time we’re done, almost an entire defensive unit of quality starters will vanish before your eyes.
Kicking things off was a departure that was out of the Cowboys’ control. Leighton Vander Esch was the disciplined heart of the linebacker corps, serving as a reliable tackler who could navigate through traffic. When healthy, his range and football IQ allowed him to diagnose plays quickly, making him a crucial part of the run defense. His career was unfortunately hampered by recurring neck issues, but his presence provided a level of stability that the current group lacks. Trying to find a linebacker with his combination of size and awareness has proven to be a difficult task. Failed replacements like Damone Clark, Markquese Bell, and Kenneth Murray have been costly, while the one-year rental of Eric Kendricks turned out okay. It also didn’t help that draft pick hit DeMarvion Overshown has sparingly seen the field over his first three seasons due to his own health issues.
Another subtle departure is Jayron Kearse, who surprisingly became the Swiss Army knife of the secondary, utilizing his massive frame to cover tight ends and stuff the run. His hybrid ability allowed the Cowboys to stay in sub-packages without sacrificing physicality at the line of scrimmage. He had a knack for making splash plays in crucial moments. Some might not think much of Kearse, but his presence was felt. In 2022, he had a fringe Pro Bowl season where he had two picks, a fumble recovery, 10 pass breakups, and over 100 tackles, including nine for a loss.
It’s strange to think about now, but there once was a time when the defensive end depth was so good that it was hard to get Dorance Armstrong on the field. His departure didn’t seem like much at the time, but he was a good player. His ability to provide consistent pressure as a rotational player made the pass rush relentless for four quarters, as well as being a highlight reel on special teams. After moving on to Washington, he proved that his success was no fluke by continuing to produce high sack totals and splash plays. Watching him thrive elsewhere is a bitter pill for Dallas, especially considering how they have fallen on hard times along the edge.
The final unsung departure is that slow, undersized corner that never seemed to impress any of the many coaches. For years, Jourdan Lewis was the grit of the Cowboys’ defense, known for his physicality and relentless effort in the slot. Despite his smaller stature, he never shied away from sticking his nose into the run game or battling the league’s slickest playmakers. His toughness provided a necessary edge to the defensive backfield as he was the type of player who would try to tackle a freight train if it meant getting off the field on third down.
Moving on to the All-Pro portion of this list of departures, we start with a player who isn’t actually gone. DaRon Bland burst onto the scene with incredible closing ability and instincts that led to a record-breaking number of pick-sixes. He showed great poise for a young player, proving he could lock down receivers both in the slot and be surprisingly respectable on the perimeter. Unfortunately, a lingering foot injury has been his kryptonite and detoured his upward rise, turning him into the Clark Kent version of cornerbacks. Bland is still here, but he just hasn’t been that same player as of late.
From one All-Pro pre-injury corner to another, there might not be a sadder fall than what we witnessed with Trevon Diggs. His sophomore season in the league was nothing short of sensational as he hauled in an impressive 11 interceptions. His instincts and ball-hawking skills made him the ultimate risk/reward player, as he consistently baited quarterbacks into mistakes that turned into big moments for the Cowboys. Before his devastating knee injury, he was one of the most exciting corners to watch, but all that came to a crashing halt. Diggs rapid decline caused the Cowboys to cut him loose before the season ended last year, which was rather damning considering the poor state of the team’s cornerback group.
DeMarcus Lawrence has long been the unsung hero of the Dallas front, providing a rare balance of elite edge setting and pass rush production. As the team’s Tank in the trenches, he consistently graded out as one of the best run-defending ends in the league while still generating high-pressure numbers. He was a strip-sack specialist who lived to take the soul away from opposing quarterbacks. For years, Lawrence was the steady hand that kept the defense honest and proved he could be a key piece to a Super Bowl-winning team, even though that ended up being with Seattle.
And finally, we’ve reached the gut punch portion of this article. What more needs to be said about the loss of Micah Parsons? The Cowboys traded away the league’s most explosive pass rusher. Since entering the league, he has consistently ranked at the top of the charts in pressure rate and pass rush win rate, and has never had a year when he’s had less than a dozen sacks. His ability to line up anywhere on the line of scrimmage forces coordinators to lose sleep, yet the Cowboys’ front office felt they could rest easier by turning their most dynamic playmaker into multiple players who can help this football team. While the final verdict has yet to be handed down, there’s no doubt that the defense is suffering without him.
The Cowboys’ defense has endured a massive talent drain over the last few years. While the front office tried to fill the gaps with low-cost signings, trades, and draft picks, those efforts so far have fallen way short of the standards set during the Quinn era. The result is a unit that lacks the cohesion, speed, and turnover production that once made them feared. In just a few short years, the defense has gone from being a brick wall to a bead curtain, and everyone in the league is just meandering right through it. An improved coaching staff should help, but they’ll need to bring in some reinforcements if this unit is to have a fighting chance.
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